Scientia Potentia Est
by kunoichiareboss
Summary: In a world filled with deception and lies, Sakura is a diamond in the rough. While others search for power, she pursues knowledge. Her mother trained her in the art of trickery, but Sakura will evoke the truth. Sakura-centric.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Before Sakura's parents even think of having a child, her mother, Mebuki, finds out that Kizashi is cheating on her. She decided to divorce him, but he was the household's source of income. Mebuki grew up as a servant to a noble clan so she was taught to be a proper woman, allowing the men in her life to take charge and do as they please. Likewise to her former job, she did housework such as cooking and cleaning. Once she steps out of the marriage, she will not have any money of her own. However, she believes that marriage should be enforced through love and loyalty. She deserves to be treated with the same respect that she gave her husband-soon-ex. Following that thought, she signs the contract setting her free from the relationship.

Weeks later, Mebuki goes to the doctor. She was feeling weak and vomiting in the mornings. She prayed to kami that it was not what she was thinking. After her divorce, she became a yūjo in order to survive. She had to perform . . . _actions_ that required not carrying a child. And to top it all off, she vowed to never have unprotected sex unless she was married. While waiting in the silent room, she sees a poster of a smiling child. It leaves a bitter taste in her mouth.

When Mebuki arrives back home, she screams and cries. Lightning strikes in the distance, morphing her face into a wrathful demon. She does not want a damned child by her no-good ex-husband. She went ahead in her life with the full intention of never seeing nor hearing from him again. He decided to stay with that other girl, whom she cannot bring herself to blame. After all, it is hard for a regular woman to make it in these times, and she will soon entertain "committed" men as well. But Mebuki has to inform the man of the child; hopefully he will take the baby in while she provides for only herself.

Kizashi shouts at her to "leave him out of her fucking business!" Mebuki begs and begs and begs, even kneeling to show how desperate she wants him to take her baby. But he does not give; he throws a lamp at her and threatens that it will be a knife if she is there when he returns from the kitchen. Mebuki sprints away from his luxurious home in fear. In dire need of help, she assumes that her boss knows where she can get rid of the child and returns to the red light district. Her boss suggests not an abortion, but a different – "higher-paying," he coerces – sector. The men who come for this special act are very particular about what they want. They can be pushy, but they know the limits of a pregnant body. Mebuki agrees, because there is no way she can survive off of the meager pay of a brothel girl.

Finally, after eight hellish months of prostituting with a being inside her, Mebuki's water breaks. She is rushed into the civilian hospital by her coworkers without clients. It is all a blur as she flies down the hall; the lights a blinding white, the walls a dull beige, and nurses surrounding her. Mebuki feels agony during the contractions, all due to that tiny baby. Who knew that such a small creature could cause so much pain? Inwardly, she curses her ex-husband as he manages to hurt her even after their break up. Following hours of pushing and waiting, the child is born on March 28th, 97 YAF. Mebuki looks out the window; a Sakura tree is in full bloom.

* * *

1\. A yūjo, literally meaning a "woman of pleasure", was a prostitute during the Edo era of Japan. They were restricted to the outskirts of a city and were only allowed outside the city for visiting dying relatives and hanami, the Japanese custom of viewing cherry blossoms.

2\. The owner of the brothel is basically the same age as Mebuki.

3\. YAF stands for years after founding, in reference to Konoha. I believe this term was used before in another fanfiction so no credit to me.

* * *

Thank you to those whom are reading this story. A word of advice: this story is meant to be based off of historical background, implied relationships, and themes. I write with the intention of portraying all of the characters with as much depth as possible. It is better to read it and figure out the hidden meanings through the thoughts of characters and their interactions. The notes are sometimes important and sometimes just an explanation. I encourage you to comment if you suspect an implication, but DO NOT SPOIL IT.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

In the Konoha Academy, students learn not only the qualifications of being a ninja, but the concept of growing up. Bullying is accepted to reinforce rivalry, so teachers always pretend to turn a blind eye to the fighting amongst children. Such has been the case for numerous prospective ninja, even the prodigies. From Jiraiya to Uchiha Itachi, shinobi-in-training have been bullied. _Of course it is common_ , Sakura wonders, _but why are so many targets in this upcoming class?_

Haruno Sakura is a thoughtful and curious girl. She is one of the smartest in the Academy, only being surpassed by the Nara heir. This – along with a myriad of other anomalies – has caused her to be a victim of teasing. Oftentimes, girls taunted her for questioning the rules and techniques exhibited in Konoha. On the contrary, Yamanaka Ino backed up the claims of her best friend based on what her father had told her about. The dynamic duo usually left their teachers annoyed at the "skeptics", as they like to call the future kunoichi.

Back to the topic at hand, Sakura has noticed that there are comparably a lot more of her classmates being targeted than in the previous graduating classes. Hyūga Hinata, Uzumaki Naruto, Aburame Shino, Akimichi Ch _ō_ ji, and she make up the group of bullied kids. That means almost a fifth of the class is being bullied. Three of those children are clan heirs and Sakura is a genius; for some reason, she cannot shake off the feeling that Naruto is different, _special_ in a way. Based on these facts, she has recently concluded that there is a high chance of the graduating genin being the ones who were mocked. There are only three genin per team, and on estimate 3-4 teams who successfully become full-fledged squads. The five of them would make up almost half of the total. On top of that, there are the other talents in the class – Uchiha Sasuke, Nara Shikamaru, and Ino – that are both from clans and definitely good enough to pass. This total group forms nearly an entire successful graduating class.

Sakura wonders if each target is deliberate by not only the kids but the adults as well. It could be a method of taking the most promising and shaping them to reach their highest potential. After all, leaders have never said that they would help the weak become strong. If you are weak, then you die in action; if you are strong, then you rise in the rankings to be a stronger asset for the village. You see, Sakura believes that the heads of the village have a utilitarian view towards the shinobi despite Konoha's reputation of being a nice village. All of what occurs in the village cannot just be happenstance, a prodigy-turned-psycho, or the death of someone on the battlefield. She may not know why now, but she will figure the mystery out.

Suddenly, Umino Iruka enters the classroom. "Minna, I am proud of you all for undergoing this training. When you leave with your teammates today, you are taking an unspoken oath to protect Konohagakure with all of your power. The Will of Fire burns brightly within each and every one of you," he recites.

Sakura may not trust many of the teachers, but Iruka is a sincere man from what she gathers with his relationship to Naruto. He never actively attempted to fail the boy and he always scolds him in order to make the child into a better person. Despite his denseness and stupidity at times, she still does care a lot about him.

Both of them sort of grew up together; Naruto is an orphan and "demon" while she is the daughter of a yūjo and presumed to be born out of wedlock. Sakura became curious about him when she noticed him walking the same way as she does towards the outskirts of the village. She decided to introduce herself, seeing as he was the only other five year old that she knew in that part of town. Naruto was pretty surprised that she did not ostracize him, and then she realized that they were alike. Sakura wanted to show him to her mother, but he was nervous.

It was only a few weeks later that Naruto met Mebuki. Mebuki was concerned about her daughter since she was coming home later; Sakura has "exotic" features as described by some of her clients, which made Mebuki terrified to leave her alone outside of school. The yūjo went searching for her daughter one evening and found the girl with a whiskered boy. _The fox_ , said by many villagers. They were in his room on the second floor of a building and the only way she spotted them was through Sakura's bright hair. She entered the bar on the first floor and asked the owner if she could go upstairs. He – _no, she_ , the mother corrected – was very adamant on not letting her go up. Then it clicked; she was protecting the Uzumaki. Mebuki gave a dashing smile to the caretaker, reassuring her that she only came to get her adorable daughter who stayed out too long. The owner, Yumi, sighed in relief and allowed the other woman access to the second floor.

From then on, Naruto and Sakura became close friends. She helped him with his studies, and he helped her with stamina and fighting. However, no matter how much she tried to help him retain information, he just could not understand it at times. Sakura began to wonder if he had ADHD – it would make tons of sense – but nobody treated him. Mebuki went with the children to the hospital because she did not want the younger Yumi to face backlash. When they arrived to the desk, they were accused of being demons by the receptionist and promptly kicked out. Sakura's mother was self-loathing, wishing that she had found another job. Naruto cheered her up with his bright smile and unrelenting hope.

Anyways, Sakura pulls herself out of reminiscence. While she could predict a few of the teams – Ino-Shika-Cho and the tracking team made of the other heirs –, the girl was uncertain of her own place. She believes it to be a gamble on whether she would be placed on a frontlines team or a civilian one destined for failure. Sakura eyes Ino only to see her swooning over Sasuke. Sure, he may be cute and the best in the class, but Sakura could do without the bastard's attitude. She can't stand arrogant kids that act like they are better than you because they have kekkei genkai and clan techniques. The girl sighs; her envy is seeping through and her mother told her that it is not healthy to act like this.

Shikamaru yawns and criticizes Ino, "Troublesome. Don't you have better things to do than wake me up?"

Ino's vein pops. "You have to pay attention anyways! Iruka-sensei might say something important. Oh hi, Sakura!"

Sakura and Shikamaru give each other a dry look, silently communicating that Ino herself wasn't even listening and they already know what team the boy would be assigned.

Ino rolls her eyes. "Whatever."

The cherry blossom is about to talk to her other blond friend until the stern sensei glares at the entire section. Of course he knows that that particular group could care less about his speech. Even if they are stellar ninja; even if his speech was written by a genin whom he paid; even if the only reason why he is doing it is because the Hokage is watching.

Iruka massages his temples. "TEAM 1!" he shouts with extra emphasis to alert the class of the change in topic. As kids rejoice or groan, Sakura internally determines the likelihood of each team passing or failing.

 _ **Definite fail.**_

 _Maybe they'll pass?_ _ **No.**_

 _ **Possibly.**_ _Wow what a shocker._

"Team 7: Uzumaki Naruto!" Naruto smiles brightly.

"Haruno Sakura!" Naruto jumps up in joy. Sakura grins and fist-bumps him. However, she sighs knowing if Naruto is on her team then–

"Uchiha Sasuke!" – is too. Naruto's mood drops instantly and the two idiots create a mini-glaring contest that lasts until lunch.

During one of her lessons taught by her mother, Sakura learned that food is one of the best ways to ease up tension between people, whether it is for the right or wrong reasons. The kunoichi's reasons lean on both sides. She wants to understand her teammates, but she also wants to determine their chances of survival.

They eat from an unbiased place. Sasuke had to go in and order all of their free meals, courtesy of the vender whom sympathized with _the Uchiha survivor_. Thus, the first thing that Sakura learned about Sasuke was his suppressed desire for clever mischief. Oh, if only the woman knew that his team is _the demon brat_ and _the pink-haired whore_. They did not contribute a single coin yet they scammed her.

When the team returns to the room, they must wait for their jōnin leader to arrive. Sakura deduces that her team will become either disastrous or triumphant throughout their journey as shinobi. An emo prodigy, a hopeful knucklehead, and a skeptical analyst. It is times like this when she wonders if the Hokage has been smoking too much from that pipe.

After thirty minutes pass and their cell captain is not there, Iruka apologizes and tells them that he must leave. Sakura pulls out her "person analysis" notebook. From close friends to interesting ninja, anyone can be in her book. Nobody except Ino knows what is in there. Partially because she would be called a nerd; partially because she trusts very few with information. At the moment, she scribbles new facts under Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto, confirming or denying what she assumed. She reads both of their profiles until she comes to a realization.

There is another man in the village who has a Sharingan, the most important kekkei genkai in the village. Sasuke needs to learn how to use his since he is the only one left of his clan. Their captain is late.

"Boys," she starts, "we will be in here for a while."

"Why?!" screams Naruto. Sasuke smacks him. "Too loud, idiot."

"Our teacher is Hatake Kakashi. It is common for him to never be on time. He has been a teacher to upper levels before but they always come back to the Academy after failing. We are the last squad in the room, so he is probably leading us."

"What do you mean, 'they always come back to the Academy'?" Sasuke bites back at Sakura.

She blinks and smiles deceptively. Naruto shivers. "You don't know? A henge and a few clones aren't enough to make you a true shinobi."

"Sakura-chaaannnn, stop speaking in code and tell us it means," begs Naruto.

The girl reveals, "What I mean is that there is another test to pass. It is teachers' choice–"

"Teachers' choice?!"

"– which means I have no idea what it is. _"_ With that, a few minutes of tense silence tick away. The determined stares give away what each is thinking. _Failure is not an option._

Another half an hour of arguing and scribbling passes, and a head of silver hair pops into the classroom, slightly startling the children.

"My first impression of you guys is . . . I don't like you. Meet me on the roof." Sakura is about to jot that down in her notes before Naruto drags Sasuke and her upstairs.

"Now, why don't you introduce yourselves?"

The trio looks lost and eyes bounce to one another. Naruto nervously states, "How about you go first, sensei?"

"Fine," he sighs exasperatedly. "I am Hatake Kakashi. I don't feel like telling you what I like and hate. I have lots of hobbies. My dream? Never really thought about it." All three members roll their eyes.

 _All he said was his name._

The blond grins and begins the process. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto! I like ramen, but I don't like the three minutes it takes to prepare it. One day, I am going to be Hokage, dattebayo! My hobbies are hanging out with Sakura-chan and pranking."

The girl in the middle leans against Naruto. "My name is Haruno Sakura. I like to read and train. I hate cheaters, arrogance, and abuse of authority. My main hobby is working." Her friend frowns, but she sighs wistfully. "My dream is to make my mother proud."

Finally, the last boy speaks. "My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I hate a lot of things and I don't particularly like anything." Sakura and Naruto snicker. "I have not a dream, but an ambition. I will restore my clan and kill _that man_."

A moment of awkwardness ensues before Kakashi chuckles. "My, my, my, what a strange group. Well tomorrow embarks your survival training. But you won't like what else comes."

Naruto shouts, "What else?"

Sakura sweatdrops and Sasuke smacks his forehead. "It hasn't even been an hour and you already forgot."

The chipper boy's eyes twinkle in recognition. "Oh yeah, the other test!" He jerks around to tell Kakashi, "We won't lose, dattebayo!"

The jōnin looks amused. "There are 27 students in your class, yes? Only 9 will pass, you know. The other 18 are weeded out and sent back to the Academy."

The analyst ponders over the situation, "Is that a limit or an average?"

"Limit. But don't worry your pretty little head about the data, and worry about passing my test," says the cheeky teacher.

She looks him right in the eye and rebuttals, "We _are_ passing. I am just concerned with Konoha's quantity of shinobi at the moment, taking into account the events of the past two decade."

Kakashi's brow raises as he wonders if she is tactless or took direct jabs at the boys beside her. " _If_ you become a ninja, then you will have to take that up with Sandaime-sama. So meet me at Training Ground 3 at 800. Don't eat breakfast or you'll puke. Dewa mata!"

The remaining three are left looking at each other in contemplation. They all open their mouths at the same time.

"Whose-"

"How-"

"What-"

"Sasuke, you first."

The Uchiha asks, "Whose house? We shouldn't plan in the open."

Naruto and Sakura do not miss a beat. "Yours."

Desolate and deserted, the Uchiha compound runs chills down the bright pair's spines as they shuffle behind their teammate. Sakura takes the chance to evaluate the setting. _Many buildings and streets. One could easily get lost. There are likely secret passageways as well. However, those would be useless against Uchiha Itachi, the both former heir and prodigy. If he comes for Sasuke, then we would be forced to flee to the outskirts near Naruto and me._

Finally, Sasuke leads them into his room. They find themselves in a triangle formation on the floor. Naruto begins the conversation.

"Listen up, teme! Me and Sakura-chan have to leave before dark because Mebuki-oba-san says it is really dangerous for us to be out at night."

"Hn," he replies.

"Okay, now on to the real business. I have a lot of information about Hatake Kakashi. What should we start with?" initiates Sakura.

"Abilities," says Sasuke.

"He has the Sharingan, which he has used to copy over a thousand jutsu. The jutsu are primarily earth and water techniques, but he can use almost any other elemental affinity as well. His strongest attack is _Chidori_ , a lightning-based offense. The Hatake clan also possesses a sort of white chakra emission at times."

"How did he get the Sharingan?" demands Sasuke.

"I am not sure. He might only have it in his left eye since he covers it. It is likely that the eye was transplanted during the Third Shinobi World War since he is twenty-six years old," she mutters.

Naruto is confused. "But that was like before we were born! He would be super young."

Sakura lectures, "I'll just explain a lot to you two in order for you to understand the current state of Konoha. But first, do you have anything to eat, Sasuke?" Sasuke nods and the two follow him into the kitchen.

The girl continues while they are eating. "Hokage-sama was a very different leader back then. During the war, shinobi were taken out of the Academy as soon as they were deemed fit for fighting. When we were just starting to learn how to fight, children were already on the battlefield. Kakashi, however, was a prodigy in his own right from what I have read. He graduated at five years old and became chunin the next year. He became jōnin at our age. In retrospect, some of his classmates reached that rank only a few years prior to now."

Sasuke and Naruto are shocked by that revelation. "Wow. . !"

She glances outside before lowering her voice. "Anyways, that is one of the few events that I was referring to earlier in regards to the shinobi count. Konoha may be one of the strongest but we also had lives lost. Following those years, the Kyūbi attacked our village during the reign of the Fourth Hokage. There is a chance that the attack had killed almost as many as the tail end of the war did."

Naruto stutters before talking, "He sealed it into me. The Kyūbi."

Sakura's brows crunched together. "I see. It is not your fault, but I think I know why he did."

"Why?" Naruto mumbles sadly. It was the worst that he had ever looked since she met him.

His best friend walks over to him and gives him a hug like they used to do. She motions for the other to join them, and he reluctantly does. She whispers, quiet as a mouse, "I think you are his son."

Both of the boys freeze and Sasuke stares at Naruto. He truly _looks_ at Naruto and sees the resemblance. Sasuke asks the hanging question, "Then why is his name Uzumaki?"

"His mother must have been, though it is uncommon for maternal surnames to be passed," she started. "That is a story for another time. To make it brief, the Uzumaki clan did exist but there are few members due to wars and the destruction of Uzushiogakure. Uzumaki Mito married the First Hokage, and that was how the lineage was continued in Konoha."

Naruto nods quietly. Sakura lies against him to provide comfort like when they were in the Academy. Sasuke changes the topic quickly, "Let's continue."

"By that time, our forces were severely weakened, and Konoha was also still at tensions with Kumogakure. Luckily, we had some of the strongest kekkei genkai to replenish strength. But that caused major problems when the Uchiha Massacre occurred. Sasuke, explain."

The boy is grateful to retell his clan's story in his own words, rather than have a Yamanaka lead him on.

"The Uchiha clan had been having issues before the Massacre occurred. We were disconnected from the village because they did not trust us – a mentality stemming from the Senju and Uchiha battles after the founding of the village. My father, the patriarch, was using my older brother, Itachi, as a token of credibility between the clan and Konoha. Both Itachi and Cousin Shisui were prodigies and rose to the highest ranks together. But one day, Shisui disappeared and Tou-san wouldn't tell me why or how. Soon after, Itachi murdered every last person in the clan. I didn't understand what was going on until I went into a room and saw him kill my parents. To make it worse, he put me under a genjutsu, which made me watch all of them die by his hands for DAYS. When I woke up, he told me that he wanted to test his limits. And that is why I must kill him."

When Sasuke finished, he realizes that he is sitting closer to his teammates. There is silence, but Naruto breaks it with his award-winning smile. "Then we'll help you get stronger, Sasuke! Right, Sakura-chan?"

"Right."

"Anyways, this relates to the drop in the amount of shinobi because my clan made up all of the Konoha Police Force and some were also active shinobi. Now the lack of Sharingan users dwindles down our strength and numbers."

"So essentially," Sakura finishes, "Konoha is a much weaker village than before. Comparably, ninja like Kakashi and Maito Gai, along with the emphasis on teamwork, are what keeps the village afloat."

Naruto changes the subject, "So back on Kakashi, how good are his other skills?"

Sakura responds, "He is well-versed in everything. I have no doubt that whatever we throw at him, he could hit back even harder. To rank his abilities from least to greatest, stamina-strength-taijutsu-speed-genjutsu-tactics-ninjutsu."

"Could we even beat him?"

"No way," Sasuke says, "it is utterly impossible for us to win. Genin should not be strong enough to defeat a jōnin. All we have to do is prove that we can be genin."

"Sasuke is right. I suggest that we know each other's abilities. I can predict what someone will do based on observation alone. My chakra control is great so I have learned how to manipulate it to certain parts of my body. Finally, I am good at tricking people with my appearance and breaking genjutsu."

Sasuke continues, "I can use elemental ninjutsu; my element is fire. I am fast and good at taijutsu, too. I have different weapons that I can utilize to enhance my abilities. Once I get the Sharingan, I will be able to see attacks and respond to them quicker than normal."

Naruto finishes off, "I have a lot of stamina, and Sakura-chan thinks that it is because I have a lot of chakra! I can trick people with traps and clones. I passed the test because I learned this thing called 'Kage Bunshin no Jutsu' and I can make at least twenty of them."

"So our abilities are diverse . . . this is perfect! If one of us is weak at something, then we could just stand out in order to preserve our energy or evaluate the situation from a different angle."

The jinchūriki beams, "And if one of us is better at something, then we could lead the way and have the others as support."

The stoic boy proclaims, "I can lead in taijutsu and ninjutsu. Dobe can lead in an ambush and endurance-based test. Sakura can lead in genjutsu or an oral test."

His rival scratches his head. "What do you mean by 'oral test'?"

Sakura explains, "It is likely that he will say things that are meant to have a hidden implication. Like how he told us not to eat breakfast, which is terrible advice because we would be fighting in a weakened state."

Naruto nods in affirmation, "Got it." He gazes outside to see the sun still shining in the sky. "How about we show each other our abilities now? There is still time."

Sasuke smirks, "I'll kick your ass, Dobe."

Naruto grits his teeth, "I'll kick _your_ ass, Teme!"

Sakura glares, "Do not go overboard or I will kill both of you." But the rivals were already running to the abandoned training grounds. She shakes her head and chases after them.

"Minna" means everyone.

* * *

1\. Yumi is a male-to-female transgender. She is around 5 years younger than Mebuki.

2\. I will refer to military time. Obviously because they are a militia force.

3\. "Dewa mata" means see you later, but more formal than "Ja ne".

4\. "-sama" is a suffix used to address the highest authorities and translates to lord or lady.

5\. "Dobe" roughly translates to dead last or idiot; "Teme" translates to bastard.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Sakura wakes up to a busy morning. She lives beside the brothel, where men can get aggressive in the morning after spending a night. She prepares her pack with weapons and first aid materials before dressing herself. Out of habit, she applies lip gloss and bright eyeshadow. Naruto usually picks her up thirty minutes before they leave; not because he wants to be on time, but because he wants her to make breakfast. Speaking of whom, two knocks hit the door.

"Who's there?" she giggles.

"You."

"You who?"

"YOO HOO!" Naruto shouts while entering her residence. They share obnoxious laughter as they embrace.

The boy skips into the kitchen, asking his friend what she will make. The girl does not say a word until she finishes cooking. She discovered early on that when it comes to food, she cannot multitask like her beloved mother. Finally, the meal was complete. A fresh dish of nori, a bowl of steamed rice, and kitsune udon was presented to Naruto.

His eyes widen in delight. "Itadakimasu!"

She grins and strides to her seat. "No problem, Naruto-kun."

He chokes on his rice at her abnormal address, while she calmly takes a bite out of tofu. It is only a short time before they exit.

"I am going to ask Okaa-san if there is any help needed."

Naruto frowns and questions, "Is that necessary?"

She doesn't reply and opens the doors of the brothel. Some of the prostitutes smile in recognition of the duo, but others gaze upon them with concern. Men brush past them to leave after fulfilling their desires. Instead of Mebuki approaching them first, it is the owner. Unlike Yumi, Naruto thinks that this man is a conniving, money-grabbing bastard. He doesn't even defend "his women" and forces Sakura to work at the bar, like he is about to do now.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto bites his tongue; that man doesn't deserve to say her name like he cares about her. "Do you mind getting behind the counter?"

"I can only be here for a few minutes. I have training," she insists.

"Aw, you can't stay longer?" the owner, Dorobō, persists.

The Uzumaki interjects, "Our teacher is very strict, dattebayo. He threatened us to not eat!"

The man hums, "Of course you two are on the same team. I will not delay you then. Sakura, do what you can."

When they move to the back, a previous tension is lifted off of their shoulders. The exotic girl pours popular drinks to be displayed for the clients. A rule of thumb for every woman – and Naruto – is to never drink from the bar. Dorobō made Mebuki, a cunning woman, add aphrodisiacs and drugs to them after overhearing one of her lessons.

Naruto thinks that Dorobō has a weird fixation on both Sakura and her mother. _Who the hell makes a child work in a bar?_ Ever since he met the guy, he feels obligated to protect Sakura around him, a duty that Mebuki highly encourages. Normally, the protector does not hover over the independent girl because she is amazing, but this _Dorobō_ drives him insane with his persuading tongue and wicked eyes. Sakura definitely sees it, too. She keeps him close to her, as if she would be taken away the minute he moves.

Sakura sets the bottle down just as the clock strikes 750. Without looking up, she grabs her companion and they walk away quietly to avoid suspicion. They successfully leave the establishment without bumping into daring men.

"What are you dazzled up for today, Sakura-chan?" Naruto says, breaking the tense silence.

"Nothing, Naruto-kun," she smiles slyly.

Naruto smirks back, knowing the answer. Whenever she is ready to put on her A-game, she acts like a different person. It is a mask of mystery and confidence to deceive her opponents. In his opinion, she is pretty hot; he thinks this aura is what caused him to develop a crush on her. The other guys in their class mocked her, but when she becomes one of the greatest kunoichi to exist, they will be begging to even talk to her.

They arrive to the training grounds to see Sasuke brooding, like always. Birds are chirping; the wind whistles through the trees; the rays of the sun beam down upon the team.

"Ohayo, Sasuke-kun," greets Sakura.

Sasuke looks up in surprise. Most would not be able to gauge his reaction but Sakura and Naruto are experts at reading others. "Hn."

Naruto lets out a cry of indignation and pouts. _The bastard won't fool me_.

Sakura snickers. "I wonder when Sensei will get here. I don't think you two can last more than fifteen minutes before you begin to fight."

"Yeah right!" Naruto protests. Sasuke simply rolls his eyes.

The loudmouth then remembers, "Can you tell me more about my clan?"

Sakura nods. "I told you that they come from Uzushiogakure and Mito-sama married Shodaime-sama, correct? Before I continue, that makes you blood-related to Senju Hashirama. Isn't that cool? And Sasuke is a descendant of Uchiha Madara. You two are destined to become great."

The boys eye each other in contemplation and look warily at the fascinated kunoichi. "That is not good . . . ?"

"Of course their ending was not very peaceful, but the journey was glorious. After all, they were friends in the beginning. Maybe you can change the shinobi system into what they dreamed of. Oh, I am getting off topic again," she rambles.

"Anyways, the Uzumaki clan was known for their prestigious abilities in fūinjutsu. They usually have this beautiful, bright red hair, but you are an exception. I would assume that your facial features are like your mother's."

Naruto grins, "What if she had whiskers, too? Or fangs? Or sharp eyes?"

Sakura ponders, "I do wonder. Of all the things, how did you end up with whiskers?"

Sasuke replies, "It is . . . fitting."

Naruto snaps his head towards him, glaring with hurt. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

The cynical boy rolls his eyes. "Not about the thing. Your personality. Mischief and whatnot."

Originally defensive, the kunoichi relaxes. "I see it! They also emphasize your smile to make you cuter."

The flattered ninja blushes. "You think I'm cute?"

Sakura smiles. "Yes. You're absolutely adorable!"

Naruto leaps at Sakura, engulfing her into a hug, while Sasuke looks stormy.

Meanwhile, Kakashi secretly observes the children. Many people are under the impression that when he is late – which is almost all the time – he is lazing about. In actuality, the shinobi is busy gathering information or at the cenotaph; this case is the former. Team Seven appears to be tight-knit, maybe uncomfortably close from what he can gauge in that embrace. They have no fear of their fates and act like it is a normal day.

If anything, the openness of emotions is the only flaw that he can see. Even the Uchiha has his trigger and tells. Kakashi is relieved to see that his sensei's son is not alone, but if he passes the test, anything could happen to knock him over the deep end. The girl is too intelligent, _too mature_ to not get into trouble. Her knowledge of the Uzumaki clan is already bordering illegal grounds. As Naruto's close friend, she is prone to figuring out secrets that are meant to stay undisclosed. The Kyūbi, the Fourth Hokage, and even his relationship to Jiraiya-sama are all banned from discussion. It would be devastating if his friend was imprisoned.

Kakashi figures that he shouldn't keep them waiting much longer. Personally, he has the patience of a saint and could watch them sit in boredom or try to entertain themselves all day; but the girl may have things to do, considering she is the only one with a parent. He poofs in front of the team after watching them for a little less than three hours.

"Yo!" he smiles innocently.

"YOU'RE LATE!" screams the bright pair.

"Well, you see, a black cat was in my path, so I had to go around and take the long way."

They stare at him in disbelief before Sakura states, "Why didn't you teleport past the cat like you just did?"

Kakashi chuckles. "That is a question for another time."

"Now, on to your test," he begins, "you all must get these bells from me by noon."

Naruto points out, "But there are only two bells!"

Kakashi explains, "Whoever does not get a bell will not get lunch and be sent back to the Academy."

The trio look at each other in contemplation, and Sakura taps her wrist.

He continues, "When I set the timer, you may begin. Come at me with killing intent."

They tense as he places the timer on a rock. The birds are quiet; the wind is still; and the sun is blocked by clouds. It is as if nature can sense the change in tension.

 _Ding!_

Naruto and Sasuke dart to Sakura's side and she drags them far away from the clearing. Yesterday, they discussed different tactics on how to approach the test, but they did not count on one of them returning to the Academy. Luckily, the teachings of her mother and her innate ability to decipher a trick leads her to the true meaning of the test.

She whispers, "Guys, genin teams are composed of three genin, not two. No matter what he says, we must fight him together and get the bells."

Naruto and Sasuke pout at each other, but nod in agreement. Sasuke proposes, "Let's start with Plan 2. Don't get distracted and be on your guard at all times, Sakura."

"Right," she affirms.

Kakashi reads his book in the clearing. A team might pass for once, if their simultaneous disappearance in the same direction is anything to go by. He would spy or even sneak up on them but it is not like they will win against _him_. Suddenly, a kick is aimed at his face and a punch flying at his back. He calmly grabs the leg and flings the body attacking him towards the fist. Luckily, the boy behind him spins out of the way to avoid harming his teammate.

"Lesson 1: Taijutsu," mutters the ninja.

On the sidelines, Sakura watches in amazement as the man dodges and reciprocates every attack thrown at him without breaking a sweat. The Naruto clone beside her is speechless. The fluidity and speed of his movements make it nearly impossible to win. Sakura reminds herself that it is fine to lose against someone as powerful as him. Of course, even this cannot distract her from the purpose of her standby action.

She discovers that he relies on his right hand – although he can use both given the opportunity – and right side in general, so his eye tends to focus on things to the left of him. His taijutsu attacks do not hold any lasting or hard impact, but his defense focuses more on deflecting rather than evading. She relays this information to the clone, who disappears to send it to Naruto.

However, when the clone disappears, Sakura swears that she can see Kakashi's eye crinkle during the battle. _At her_. A pile of leaves rises around her and she is in a different location. There is a lot of trees surrounding her, a stark contrast to the grassy area she was just at. The kunoichi hears a growl behind her and stiffens. Something about the situation does not feel right. No wild animals besides squirrels and rabbits are at the training grounds.

"Kai!" she shouts and the scene morphs into the one she is familiar with. Although, the girl is still some distance away from her original spot.

"Lesson 2: Genjutsu," says the jōnin. But she is not finished yet; he breaks the subtle illusion cast upon him. "If I hadn't have surveyed this area plenty of times, I may have fallen for that. You pass-"

With chakra-enhanced speed, she _flies_ at Kakashi. Recalling a familiar technique by a legendary kunoichi, he smartly dodges her fist. She was not exactly aiming for him.

"Cha!" yells the girl as she causes a minor fissure in the land. This sets off the traps laid by Sasuke, and Naruto's shadow clones emerge from the trees. Like lightning, Kakashi dodges past the fireballs, weaponry, and clones. When it seems as though the team has finally gained the upper hand, a peculiarly swift clone dives to retrieve the bells. He almost gets the bells, but the holder turns into a log.

 _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu and G_ _ō_ _kaky_ _ū_ _no Jutsu are not genin-level,_ the real Kakashi thinks to himself. He supposes that he should bring the dangers of baby ninja getting ahold of these types of techniques to the Hokage. He should also scold Iruka for not observing the children properly in the Academy. After all, his little kunoichi is right about the lack of active shinobi, and he would not want anyone to be responsible for children dying before they even leave the school. Maybe it is time that the percentage of graduates increases. He and the Sandaime are going to have a long conversation after he reports back. Kakashi smirks in amusement.

 _Rinnnng!_

"Well, none of you got the bells," says Kakashi, "but that was the best run so far."

"Did we pass?!" exclaims Naruto.

Kakashi smiles. "I guess you did. After all, the purpose was not to retrieve the bells, but to work together."

Sakura stutters, "Th-that was it?!"

The sensei tilts his head. "You had to prove to me that you could actually fight, but yes."

The team flops to the ground. She weeps, "All our time spent on battle formations and traps . . . all of my practicing . . . for teamwork?!"

Kakashi sweatdrops. "The five teams before you have failed to understand my test. They tried to attack me individually. Some even turned against one another in hopes of eliminating competition."

He walks to the memorial stone. "Do you see this? Some of my friends are on here, due to being KIA." _And one of them by my own hand._

"What does KIA mean?" asks Naruto.

Sakura replies, "Killed in action."

"I am showing you this because my old teammate taught me something very important. Those who break the rules are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash."

Naruto beams, Sakura smiles, and Sasuke wears a microscopic smirk. Having a team may not be so bad.

* * *

Omake 1:

 _Hatake Kakashi, 83 YAF, Jōnin+_

 ** _Personality_**

 _\- Usually late, first impression: doesn't like us, introverted, lax but only because he is confident, stresses on the importance of camaraderie, don't piss him off_

 _\- Does he deal with mental illness?_

 _\- Proof:_ _Who the hell quotes their dead friend to children whom he has only seen once before?_

 _ **Ninjutsu** : elemental-based_

 _\- Earth Style_

 _\- Water Style_

 _\- Lightning Style: Chidori, Raikiri_

 _ **Taijutsu** : speed-based_

 _ **Genjutsu** : surroundings-based, native Konoha-style_

 _ **Speed** over Stamina and Power_

 ** _Kekkei Genkai_**

 _\- Sharingan: 1000+ jutsu copied_

 _\- White chakra emission_

 _\- Is the Sharingan transplanted?_

 _\- Proof:_ _Third Shinobi Wars, only in left eye (always covered)_

 ** _Special traits_**

 _\- Good at everything?_

 _Uchiha Sasuke, 97 YAF, Genin_

 ** _Personality_**

 _\- Usually an asshole but is cooperative when necessary, major PTSD that is not treated, quiet, competitive_

 _ **Ninjutsu** : elemental-based _

_\- Fire Style: Gōkakyū no Jutsu_

 _ **Taijutsu** : speed-based_

 _ **Genjutsu** : unknown_

 _\- Will unlock new ones after Sharingan activation_

 _ **Speed** over Stamina and Power _

**_Kekkei Genkai_**

 _\- Sharingan (not activated): in a way it slows time – giving the user more reaction time_

 ** _Special traits_**

 _\- Penchant for different weapons_

 _\- Why was he really left alive by Uchiha Itachi?_

 _Uzumaki Naruto, 97 YAF, Genin_

 ** _Personality_**

 _\- Ball of sunshine, outgoing, just wants to be loved, prankster, brash, smarter than he lets on_

 _\- Does he have ADHD?_

 _\- Proof:_ _hyperactive, his low attention span affects his ability to learn_

 _ **Ninjutsu** : traditional-based_

 _\- Clones: Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, Bunshin no Jutsu (lower scale)_

 _\- Transformation: Henge no Jutsu, Oiroke no Jutsu_

 _ **Taijutsu** : brawl-based_

 _ **Genjutsu** : none_

 _ **Stamina** over Speed and Power_

 _ **Fūinjutsu** : unknown but there is a seal for the Kyūbi_

 ** _Special traits_**

 _\- Jinchūriki no Kyūbi_

 _\- Is he the son of the Fourth Hokage?_

 _\- Proof:_ _they have the same hair and eyes, Namikaze sealed the fox into him – meaning that he must have known the child_

* * *

1\. Nori is a side dish of dried, seasoned seaweed. Kitsune udon is a soup topped with sweetened tofu pockets.

2\. "Itadakimasu" is a phrase of Japanese etiquette, translating to "thanks for the food"

3\. "Ohayo" means "good morning"


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Following Team Seven's triumphant promotion to genin, the actual rank was not all too pleasant. Not even Naruto could figure out how to liven up the "chores" that they had to do. Painting fences, running – _not_ walking – dogs, and cleaning the Academy were just a few of the trivial missions that they had to complete. Their first official mission was nearly a failure because Naruto and Sasuke began fighting. Not too long ago, we found the frustrated team chasing a swift cat named Tora.

" _Is everyone in position?" asked Kakashi._

 _Sasuke responded, "Yes."_

 _Sakura replied, "10 meters from target. Ready."_

 _Naruto shuffled before saying, "I'm ready to go."_

 _They waited for Kakashi's call to commence action. A few seconds passed before they heard a whistle and jumped out. Naruto caught the cat but quickly regretted it. His face was viciously attacked by Tora's claws. His teammates could do nothing but watch as he endured the torment from the thing._

" _Target acquired," affirmed Sakura._

So now the group glares at the Daimyo's wife and her demonic cat. They can muster up a little sympathy for Tora; if they had to be squished by a lady like that, they would flee as well. Unbothered, the Hokage lists off other missions to the team.

"Let's see, you can do a paint job for the buildings on the West Side, pick up the garbage on the East Side, walk the dogs-oh but you have done that before," babbles Hiruzen.

The frustration builds up among Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura while he speaks. The civilians are supposed to be doing this blasphemy, not them. Can they have a real mission for once?

"This isn't fair," screams Naruto, "Why are we doing so many stupid D-ranks? Aren't there other people who actually have these as JOBS?!"

"Naruto, be more respectful to the Hokage!" barks Iruka.

"The reason why genin get D-ranks is. . ." says the Sandaime, who proceeds to ramble about a bunch of knowledge that was shoved down their throats while they were in the Academy.

The team segregates into their own conversation. Even Kakashi tunes out the leader. Naruto talks about what he had for breakfast. A delicious bowl of miso soup made by Mebuki-oba-san. For once, Sakura's mother had time to feed the children in the morning.

"ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?!" shouts the offended Hokage, scaring the hell out of the team.

Naruto protests, "But Ojī-san, we've done enough already! Don't you think it is time for higher missions?"

Iruka is about to scold the boy, but Hiruzen beats him to the punch. "Very well, you may have a C-rank. It is an escort mission."

Excitement swells on the team's faces. "For who? A princess? A lord? A priest?"

The door opens, and an older man enters with a drink in his hand. The excitement is quickly replaced with disappointment. "I am Tazuna, the greatest bridge builder in the world! Protect me with your life."

"Are these brats supposed to be protecting me? They look like they couldn't hurt a fly! Especially the short one with the goofy look on his face."

Naruto laughs until he realizes that Sasuke and Sakura are looking down on him. He dashes toward their client, ready to fight, however Kakashi pulls him up by the scruff of his neck. "You aren't supposed to kill clients, Naruto."

The captain drags his team and client out of the office, thanking the Hokage in the process. Iruka sighs in relief at the departure of rowdiness, but something is nagging him. He turns to the Hokage in suspicion, before realizing the source of his concern. "My lord, are you sure that it is safe for the genin to go to Wave?"

"They will be fine," he concludes.

* * *

Team Seven sets off to return Tazuna home safely. Sakura points out various birds and flowers along the way. When the man asks her how she is so knowledgeable on the weird subject, she replies with a blunt, "kunoichi classes". A foreign civilian has no such idea on the function of the ninja system, so Sakura enlightens him.

"In order to survive in our world, ninja must always be aware of and understand their surroundings. Our predetermined statuses, like gender, affect what we learn. From a very young age, we have to know the ins and outs of certain topics. There are significantly less women – at least in our village – so we learn about flowers and things like that. They are not necessary to know, but they can be used as a minor advantage. Like this–"

Putting on her gloves and standing in front of a bush of white flowers, she picks a few of them. "–is known as 'white snakeroot'. It becomes toxic to humans if it is consumed by a cow and the human eats meat or drinks milk. The effects are not that serious; depression, difficult breathing, and nasal discharge to name a few. It can also be used to treat fevers, diarrhea, and kidney stones."

Sakura picks a few more flowers to preserve for Ino. She does not know if her best friend is low on any in the shop. Hopefully, Ino will not nag her about choosing the wrong flowers again.

Naruto snorts. "I thought it was for threatening other girls with fake poisonous plants and making flower crowns."

Sakura glows pink. "Shut up!" And she hits him over the head. He lands next to a puddle, which is strange considering how it has not rained in the past few hours and there is not a single cloud in the sky. Kakashi stares at it for a second, but then ignores the anomaly. After the group takes a few more steps, Naruto comes to the realization. "Wait a minute, why is there a puddle?"

"That _is_ the question," the leader mutters before chains emerge from the water and coil around him. The pressure appears to sever his body, prompting Sasuke and Sakura to go into autopilot and attack the enemies.

Their movements provoke Naruto to act as he produces shadow clones. Sakura jumps in front of Tazuna, while Sasuke and Naruto each target one enemy, whom Sakura discerns to be the Demon Brothers of the Mist. She shouts at one clone to protect the client from behind. Suddenly, Sasuke's opponent flies past him toward her and Tazuna. However, before they can be reached, Kakashi pulls the brothers into a chokehold, knocking them unconscious temporarily.

"Great job, team. Naruto, your hand is hurt. Sakura, tend to Naruto. Sasuke, tie the miscreants up. Now," he smiles at the bridge builder, "would you tell me why, not bandits, _missing-nin_ are after you?"

Tazuna is stunned. He stutters like he has seen a ghost until Sakura points out the dismembered log. "Substitution jutsu are quite common in our village."

Kakashi's eye crinkle drops and turns into an icy glare. "I waited to see who they were targeting. Imagine my surprise when Meizu comes to _you._ Are you aware that my students could have died? How important are you?"

Tazuna looks down in shame. "I am a bridge builder, but it is to rebel against the tyrant, Gatō. Our land is in shambles because he bankrupts the area through his shipping network. The bridge will stop this network, which is why he is trying to kill me. I couldn't afford better ninja. I'm sorry."

"This mission is now at least B-rank and with no telling who else will pop up, it could turn into an A-rank. My team is not qualified to do this type of mission."

"But Sensei," Naruto protests, "we can't just leave him! They'll die!"

"You're injured. We must go back," says Kakashi.

"It shouldn't take much longer," assures Sakura. When she bandaged him, she noticed that the wound was already healing, and it was not like it was a minor cut. Either he had a very effective immune system or his chakra was self-restoring. Is that an effect of his heritage or the fox? She reminds herself to note that in her journal.

"Hn. We can handle this," agrees Sasuke.

Kakashi sends one more sharp glare at Tazuna before deciding. "Fine, we're taking you straight home. Team 7, limited rests. Use soldier pills if you need to. Engage as few enemies as possible. Ant formation. Got it?"

"Hai, sensei," answers the team.

Naruto creates five shadow clones to move forward at a faster pace. Then, he moves behind Tazuna while Sasuke and Sakura flank the sides. Kakashi finishes talking to Pakkun, whom he asks to relay the message for backup to ANBU, and orders the group to proceed.

Sakura eyes her surroundings suspiciously. The dense amount of trees shifts to a scattered placement as they reach the shore of the mainland. She extends her chakra to the near area in order to dispel any genjutsu. There are none so far until they reach the water. She vaguely feels an illusion cast on the environment in the distance.

"Someone has an extensive genjutsu ahead," she tells Kakashi. He nods and steps into the boat after her.

"We have to be quiet now," informs the boat driver, "it will be very misty and hard to tell if anyone is there or not."

Kakashi frowns. "Sakura, don't attempt to counter or dispel anything unless I tell you to."

"Hai." The boat splits the sea as they ride toward the island. Fog envelopes every sense. Hazy vision. Obscured sounds. A fresh ocean aroma. It is almost like something may go wrong.

Paranoid, they arrive at Nami no Kuni. There is less fog, but the boat driver immediately returns to mainland. Naruto had never pictured anything like this place. Unlike Konoha, the trees are less alive. The air is cooler. The colorful flowers that Sakura pointed out are absent, instead replaced completely with herbs and generic weeds. The deadly silence only serves to keep Naruto on edge. Without realizing, the team squeezes closer to Tazuna and, as a result, to each other.

 _THUNK!_ Sasuke and Sakura immediately fall into a defensive position. But there was no need. Naruto threw the kunai at nothing. It was only the wind. Sakura and Naruto are nervous, an oddity spotted by Sasuke.

"Breathe, idiots."

"Don't call Sakura-chan an idiot, teme." Kakashi rolls his eyes and reminds them to stay focused.

A mile or so later, the youngest boy hears movement in the bushes. His reaction is quick, but his aim is off. A terrified snow bunny hops out and away from Naruto's frantic apologies. The seasoned shinobi stares in confusion at the rabbit; it is still fall, why is it white? He hears something cut through the air.

"Duck!" he commands, pushing down the client with him. A large sword flies right above their heads. Another masked man leaps onto the weapon lodged into the tree.

Now Sakura is a lady raised with proper manners, but some situations make you throw out everything you have been taught. "Momochi Zabuza? Are you fucking kidding me?!"

Zabuza chuckles, "That is me. I am curious as to how you know me, girl."

Sakura is still in shock. "I did a project on you. . ."

Her partner-in-crime screams, "WAIT THAT'S ZABUZA?!" Even Sasuke freezes, looking for an outing so they can run.

"Don't worry," says Kakashi lifting his headband, "I will take care of him."

The enemy smiles malevolently, "What an honor to see the Sharingan upon our first meeting, Hatake."

Kakashi glares, "You won't be seeing it again."

"Nor will your team."

A dense mist covers the vicinity, causing the team to get into Triangle Formation around Tazuna. The leader reminds Sakura about what he said earlier. She nods in determination.

The Demon of the Mist forms a series of water clones, some attacking the team, others as disguises against his foe. The man of the Sharingan fights back with the demon's own techniques. However, one will always have an advantage with the environment they know. Zabuza tricks Kakashi into moving onto the lake, where he traps him in a water bubble.

"Take Tazuna and run!" he screams at his team. They ignore him and go into their isolated phase.

"Sasuke, Naruto, it is on you. Our objective is to get Kakashi-sensei out of the bubble. If you can injure him without risking your life, do it. I'll make the way for you," Sakura orders.

Sasuke remarks, "Plan 6 will be the most effective. Let's go."

Sharingan still on, Kakashi can see what his team is saying and hopes that they don't die. For him. _Again_. Sakura – the sole protector of the client at the moment – smiles at him and, for one second, she looks exactly like Rin. Terror pulses through him as he recalls why he never wanted to be a sensei.

The lone kunoichi extends her chakra to dispel the mist in her teammates' path. Naruto and Sasuke begin "Operation: Save Sensei (Version 2)" with Sasuke throwing two fuma shuriken towards Zabuza. The S-class ninja dives between the weapons, certain that they cannot defeat him. The mist dissipates around Kakashi as he watches the top shuriken transform into the blond, who grabs the other shuriken to hit Zabuza. Forced to either release his technique or get his arm chopped off, the man chooses the former.

Kakashi darts to Naruto, seeing the sword swing down. He blocks it with his glove plate. Another fierce battle ensues with Kakashi slowly gaining the upper-hand. With adrenaline rushing through his veins, the Konoha shinobi delivers an onslaught of attacks to his opponent. As soon as he prepares to deal the final blow, a sharp senbon punctures the neck of Zabuza.

"Thank you for giving me the opportunity to kill Momochi," the unknown proclaims.

All heads turn to face the person. Naruto asks, "Who the hell are you?"

"A hunter-nin," he reveals, "I was sent to kill him. I will be going now."

"Wait–" Sakura tries to call but the ninja disappears. She was uncertain of this mystery person for many reasons.

One, his mask is that of a Mist ninja. They and Konoha are not on the greatest of terms right now so it would be nice to have some reassurance that they will not be killed.

Two, a senbon can't be that effective at killing, right?

Three, how old is he?

Sakura is tempted to pursue the pair but Kakashi shakes from exhaustion. He faints onto Naruto and Sasuke.

* * *

At Tazuna's house, the team waits for their teacher to wake up. For the most part, the kids are adjusting to the environment. Without guidance, they are following their own plans. Naruto already began setting up mediocre traps.

"We should train," he suggests.

"We should wait for Sensei," rebukes Sakura.

"Hn. He's asleep," says Sasuke.

Sakura groans. That is his way of agreeing with Naruto. She is scared of the boys getting into trouble with Gatō's men, which would cause her to get in trouble with their teacher if something happens to them. But what can she do?

"As long as we plan defensive tactics," she concedes.

"Then let's do it, dattebayo!" shouts Naruto.

After telling Tazuna and his daughter, Tsunami, they head to a clearing. The encompassing forest that looked dead upon first sight appears now to be simply . . . hollow. Sakura shivers but pushes the feeling down.

"So, what now?" she asks.

"Evasion and weapons," replies Sasuke, "Sensei was the only thing keeping us from being sliced by that damn sword."

Naruto gives a thumbs up. "Lead the way then, teme."

Sasuke immediately tosses a shuriken toward his rival, hitting him in the process, and a kunai toward his other teammate, who dodges at the last second. He smirks at her.

"Hope you are ready to get dirty, princess."

* * *

1\. They aren't training directly for Zabuza. Just preparing themselves for any enemy that comes their way.


End file.
